Which is what I guess the Towson Tigers figured they would do to move back into a first place in the CAA…

Terrance West ran all over the Black Bears, much like he’s done to everyone else in the conference. Towson has a completely legitimate chance to win the conference. I almost can’t believe I’m typing that.

The Atlanta Falcons traded away many things to get this man on their team. If he keeps playing like he did against the Indianapolis Colts it will go down as one of the greatest decisions in National Football League history…

As far as Indy in concerned, things have gotten so bad that at one point QB Curtis Painter threw two forward passes on the same play. No really, this actually happened. He wears the same number as Bert Jones. That’s where the similarities end.

There were many amazing things about the Giants’ come from behind win over the New England Patriots in Foxborough, notably the plays made from Eli Manning to Jake Ballard to win the game. But NOTHING I could share with you would be as good as the footage of Michael Strahan celebrating the win while the cameras were “off” at FOX…

During the Sunday Night Football halftime show, Bob Costas pointed out that Ballard’s number (85) was the same number worn by David Tyree in Super Bowl XLII. Pretty good.

(Puts on “Superfriends” announcer voice)

“MEANWHILE….IN SAN DIEGO….”

Phillip Rivers nearly figured out a way to beat the NFC (and NFL)’s best team. The reason why he “nearly” figured it out is because part of beating the best team in the the league is NOT repeatedly throwing the ball to them.

I feel like Aaron Rodgers is getting dangerously close to “so good we can’t possibly like him” territory by the way.

Kellen Moore wasn’t necessarily brilliant, but he surpassed Colt McCoy as the all-time winningest quarterback in NCAA history in Boise State’s win at UNLV…

Kellen Moore’s season only remains interesting however if Luck begins to stumble. Their national TV (ABC) game Saturday night against Oregon will be Luck’s chance to follow up on his performance against USC with a “clincher”. Probably. He had some early struggles, but was good again Saturday against Oregon State…

Trent Richardson remains third on my list-but he’s currently third on a list of two. Case Keenum heads the “others receiving votes” category.

Tim Tebow by no means beat the Oakland Raiders on his own (Denver Broncos teammates Willis McGahee, Eddie Royal & Eric Decker certainly helped), but what the hell do we care about anyone who plays in the Mile High City not named Tim Tebow?

By the way, the Broncos are only a game out of first place in the AFC West. And thank God the Raiders solved all of their problems by trading for Carson Palmer.

It’s a shame the USC Trojans gave the ball away just outside the endzone in overtime number three against Stanford. Not only because I picked the Cardinal to lose last Thursday when I played John Allen (of Charm City Devils fame) in “Everybody Beats Glenn”, but also because it was a hell of a game.

I’ll go ahead and move Luck ahead of Boise State QB Kellen Moore on my Heisman Watch list. Yeah, I guess I’m a sellout. But it’s hard not to like what you see with this kid. Alabama RB Trent Richardson is third on my list; which now ends at three because one of those guys will be your winner.

Joe Paterno passed Eddie Robinson as the all-time winningest coach in Division I history as Penn State beat Illinois. It was the only time the word “pass” was used in Happy Valley Saturday. I don’t care for much of anything about the Nittany Lions, but I respect their students for packing in behind the goalposts to try to make the Illini’s tying field goal try harder…

Things get VERY difficult for PSU now, as they host Nebraska in State College next week before finishing conference play with trips to Columbus and Madison. Speaking of which…

Wisconsin fans were once again hoping a penalty flag could save them, but Braxton Miller did NOT cross the line of scrimmage before throwing the game winner to Devin Smith. Russell Wilson’s Heisman hopes are totally up in smoke, and the Badgers are now a long shot (at best) for the Rose Bowl, while the Buckeyes are still very much in the picture.

The Eagles DESTROYED the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Sadly the highlight of the game was a Laurent Robinson catch that didn’t count at all…

The SNF broadcast was obsessed with Philly O-Line coach Howard Mudd. I actually have no issue with that. Howard Mudd is awesome. Otherwise they’d have been obsessed with Rob Ryan, and I’m about done with that.

Also of note, Jason Kelce snapped the ball off his own ass at one point…

I mean, I get it. Tim Tebow leads comebacks in consecutive games, so the late moments of games involving Tebow will now be known as “Tebow Time”…

I’m trying to figure out 67 more ways to put the word “Tebow” in this entry.

Yes, the Denver Broncos were TERRIBLE for most of their win over the lifeless Miami Dolphins. Who cares? Tebow was a winner, so America has a week to repeat his name over and over and over and over and over and over.

Tebow Tebow Tebow Tebow Tebow Tebow.

Demaryius Thomas was so excited about Tebow’s performance he decided to plant one on his quarterback…

I’m not sure if you stayed up late enough (the game ended at about 1:30am) to watch all of Texas Tech-Oklahoma, but it turned out to be a really good game…

Apparently the Red Raiders didn’t get the memo that no one EVER beats the Sooners in Norman.

While OU is likely done (as far as the BCS Championship picture is concerned), their “Bedlam” date with Oklahoma State still looms large in the title picture after the Cowboys got another brilliant performance from QB Brandon Weeden in a win over Missouri.

By the way, Brandon Weeden is my age. Does that mean I still have a future in football?

6. There are four playoff spots to be had between the NFC North and NFC South. Because of this, the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons picked up HUGE wins.

The Bears went to London and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who never really looked in sync. This is why I never want to see the Ravens play across the pond…

The game involved a Matt Forte run that was so brutal it made two Bucs players run into each other…

The Detroit Lions have now lost back to back home games after falling to the Falcons Sunday at Ford Field…

The Lions have serious rushing issues, but still have Calvin Johnson. That should mean they’ll be okay. Miraculously for the Falcons, Matt Ryan survived a brutal hit in this one and came back to finish the game. That should mean they’ll be okay as well.

Also in this game, Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez passed Marvin Harrison for the 2nd most receptions in history, only behind Jerry Rice.

I like to think I appreciate a level of refreshing honesty from a head coach, but for some reason Rex just tends to come off as more of a horses’s ass than anything…

Plaxico Burress is 6’5″. It must be nice for the New York Jets to have a capable receiver that size. There isn’t one of those in Baltimore, and the Ravens still have to face the San Diego Chargers later in the season themselves.

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If you’re not aware, the Tigers topped ODU after trailing by 11 points late in the fourth quarter. They recovered an onside kick and then completed the miracle when QB Grant Enders found WR Tom Ryan for a 63 yard TD on 4th and 29.

Impossible?

This season his been crazy for Towson football. I’m more and more surprised they didn’t win in College Park.

(Editor’s note: Spiders QB-and USC transfer-Aaron Corp completed 31 of 34 attempts Saturday night. I still can’t figure out how Towson was ever able to stop them. How does someone go 31 or 34 and win???)

For some reason, Roman Harper and Malcolm Jenkins decided to fight about a pretty impressive Steve Smith touchdown from Cam Newton…

…Yeah I really have no explanation for that. I will reiterate what I’ve been saying about the Saints all season however. You can tell me all you want about their defense not being great. Based on how good Drew Brees and company are, they’re fine.

Sitting on my fantasy football bench, Big Ben managed to toss FIVE touchdowns for the Steelers in the win, pissing off everyone in the world who has no connection to the Steel City. Oh, and Daniel Sepulveda executed a perfect fake punt just to rub it in…

Jonathan Dwyer also ran for over 100 yards as the bad guys beat the Tennessee Titans. That answers the age old question, “who is Jonathan Dwyer?”

Here’s my problem. Everyone always beats up the Boise State QB because the Broncos don’t play top-notch competition. For example, they shredded Fresno State most recently…

…but thus far, the best team Stanford has beaten all season is Duke-and Duke was NOT playing with Miles Plumlee, Mason Plumlee, Marshall Plumlee or any other Plumlee anywhere on the planet…that I know of.

The Cardinal’s victim Saturday night was a less than impressive Pac 12 newcomer-Colorado. You only know anything about the game because Tiger Woods took a break from being crappy at golf to show up and watch the thing with John Elway…

Woods finished tied for 30th this weekend at an event won by some dude named Bryce Molder. Tied for 30th. Bryce Molder. Oh…and some dude threw a hot dog at him while he was playing. REALLY…

AJ Green was immediately more popular just for NOT being Chad Johnson or Terrell Owens. Now it looks like he’s really good to boot…

I don’t think Cincy can stay in the AFC playoff race all season by any stretch of the imagination, but it looks like they’re not going to fall apart either. Marvin Lewis’ team will have two chances to make life miserable in Charm City later this season.

Until this point, I have refused to believe in the San Francisco 49ers despite their early season success. After their blowout win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, I might have to start buying stock…

I’d say the Josh Morgan injury would hurt them, but they play in the NFC West. I get the feeling they could lose half their roster and still be in the mix.

I’m not really sure what else can be said about Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers is amazing. The team is incredibly deep.

I was wondering the other day why the NFL wouldn’t put a Super Bowl at Lambeau Field if they’re going to have one in New Jersey. Then I had a sandwich. It was quite a day.

Side note: I’m extremely jealous of sports fans in Wisconsin. They the Packers, the Badgers (more on them next) and the Milwaukee Brewers rocking and rolling. SportsGrid.com noted that Sunday’s Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel headline is the happiest in sports history…

The others in my Top 5 are South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore and Baylor QB Robert Griffin III. Lattimore had a tough day Saturday and Griffin threw his first interception of the year (really) in the Bears’ loss to Kansas State. After you watch the profile ESPN’s College Gameday did of him Saturday morning you’ll certainly forget that ever happened…

Nate Washington looked good and Jared Cook finally showed why I drafted him to my fantasy team this year (although I already dropped him needing depth), but I’m still not convinced they can keep treading water without Britt…

…in other news, I told Cleveland Browns fans last week to take a picture of the AFC North standings. I hope they took my advice.

I’m confused. Clemson looked good against Auburn, then again against Florida State, then AGAIN against Virginia Tech. Who are these Tigers and what have they done with the roller coaster team we’ve all come to know and not love?

I still think the Hokies are a factor in the ACC before the season is over. I think a lot of things. Like for example, who is Melissa Giraldo and why is this the first I’ve heard of her? (Thanks Busted Coverage!)

You know how it works. 15 positive football observations, 7 “not so” positive football observations and one “oh no” moment from outside the world of football.

You might be able to guess what it is.

(As a reminder, we don’t do Baltimore Ravens analysis here. We do PLENTY of that elsewhere. This is about the rest of the world of football.)

15 Positive Observations…

1. Towson has a legitimate chance against Maryland next week, and everyone knows it

Let me start by reminding everyone how happy I am for the Tigers. I love Rob Ambrose, I love the entire TU program. My girlfriend is a Towson alum. She’s also MUCH prettier than I am. I’m thrilled for the school after their Homecoming blowout win over Colgate (heard as always on AM1570 WNST.net) and their 3-0 start…

It’s just that…I can’t even begin to think about how much crap I’m going to take if the Tigers end up going down to College Park and beat the Terps at Byrd Stadium. After the GARBAGE performance Maryland put together against Temple, there has to be concern…

Of course that’s because the Mt. St. Joe grad joined Drew Forrester on “The Morning Reaction” Friday before the Lions put the 45 point pounding on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Also this weekend Justin Verlander won his 24th game and the Detroit Tigers clinched the AL Central. In Charm City this weekend we watched the Ravens lose to the Titans and we have no freaking clue what the Orioles might have done.

In three games this season, I’ve picked Boise State to lose twice. I thought a SEC power like Georgia would teach them a lesson in Atlanta. I thought an upstart like Toledo would pull the stunner at home after nearly toppling Ohio State.

If you don’t know the story, Jesse Holley won Michael Irvin’s SpikeTV reality show “4th & Long” to get a spot in Dallas Cowboys Training Camp. He went from that to the practice squad, from the practice squad to the active roster, from the active roster to making his first NFL catch, from making his first NFL catch to coming within a foot of beating the 49ers…

…from coming within a foot of beating the 49ers to holding a celebration that I believe is still going on at this moment.

Oh yeah, Tony Romo played this game with a fractured rib. We’re not going to talk about that though because it doesn’t involve him humping Jessica Simpson. (But it should!)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — When watching a University of Maryland football team attempt to rally from a fairly large deficit, it is rare to have someone ask the question “what’s the greatest comeback in Terps history?”

It’s of course rare because the answer is fairly common knowledge. On November 10, 1984 the Terrapins trailed the University of Miami 31-0 at halftime before then head coach Bobby Ross pulled starting quarterback Stan Gelbaugh in favor of Frank Reich. Reich went on to throw for three touchdowns (and run for another) as the Terps stunned the Hurricanes 42-40.

It’s a fairly well known story.

The Terps had an opportunity to write another amazing comeback chapter in their football history book Saturday after falling behind 34-10 in the second half to the 18th ranked West Virginia Mountaineers at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. Behind quarterback Danny O’Brien, the Terps trimmed the deficit all the way down to three points midway through the fourth quarter (34-31), and got the ball back with 4:36 to play trailing just 37-31.

Needing a touchdown (and of course an extra point) to likely punctuate an incredibly rally, the Terps methodically drove the ball down the WVU 35 yard line with under two minutes to play. Facing 3rd and 8, O’Brien (a redshirt sophomore) was on the cusp of offering a defining moment still early in his career.

Unfortunately for Maryland fans, that moment didn’t come.

O’Brien’s throw found the arms of Mountaineers safety Eain Smith, allowing West Virginia (3-0) to escape College Park with their sixth straight victory of the season. O’Brien (34/52 289 yards, TD, 3INT) and the Terps (1-1, 1-0 ACC) were instead forced to look back on a missed opportunity.

“You can’t turn the ball over three times at the quarterback position and expect to beat a ranked team” O’Brien said after the loss. “That’s really what it comes down to. I felt like the line did great, we ran the ball well, but you just can’t turn the ball over.”

O’Brien’s late interception was particularly tough to swallow because he appeared to have an open running late in front of him. Even if stopped short of a first down, the Terrapins would have had an opportunity to pick up another short 4th down conversion on the drive and continue their path to the end zone.

It wasn’t the first time in the young 2011 season that O’Brien was intercepted on a play where he likely should have decided to run the ball.

In the first quarter of the Terps’ 32-24 win over Miami Week 1, O’Brien dropped back to throw in a “second and goal” situation from the Canes’ one yard line. Instead of taking the open running lane into the endzone, O’Brien forced a throw that was intercepted by Vaughn Telemaque. Instead of taking a 14-0 lead and being able to build on it moving forward, the game remained a one possession differential and ultimately stayed close throughout.

After the loss Saturday, Head Coach Randy Edsall said he’d like to see O’Brien make more decisions to take off with the ball.

“I want to win the ballgame, and I think Danny wants to win the ballgame too” Edsall said. “I think as he sees that, he’s gotta understand that. People are going to drop off in coverage and there’s going to be times for him to be able to run the ball. If he does that, that’s going to open up some more things intermediate (and) long range in terms of the passing game. It’s just something he’ll have to see on film for himself. When he does, he’s gotta understand that. When the quarterback can run, it puts a lot of pressure on the defense.”

O’Brien acknowledged that it was easy to point out the mistake in hindsight, but knew he needed to make a different decision moving forward.

“This offense gives me some opportunities to do that, just because we’re spread out more” O’Brien said. “I feel like I’m never going to make the same mistake twice. It’s kinda easy after the fact to see what you should have done. The game’s just played so fast and I make a lot of split second reactions all the time. That’s just one where looking back, if I get the exact same look I’ll run it.”

It would be irresponsible to place all blame for Saturday’s defeat on the shoulders of the team’s outstanding quarterback. While O’Brien also threw two costly first half interceptions, his guidance was vital in directing the Terrapins out of their mighty hole.

Responsibility for the defeat certainly is shared by the defense, particularly the secondary. The Terrapins allowed three West Virginia receivers (Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Ivan McCartney) to all go over the 100 yard receiving mark and gave up a total of 388 passing yards from ‘Eers QB Geno Smith on the day.

LB Kenny Tate took some of that blame after the defeat. “We didn’t tackle as (well) as we could have” said the Terrapins senior. “Everybody missed tackles.”

Also deserving of blame was Edsall and his coaching staff. The group made a number of decisions (including attempts to convert 4th down scenarios late in the 2nd quarter and early in the 3rd quarter) that came back to haunt the team when the game was no longer in blowout territory. With more points on the board, O’Brien might not have felt the need to try to force a throw in late.

Despite all of that, team had the opportunity to win the game until O’Brien’s final interception.

O’Brien has already done a number of great things as quarterback, taking a team to the postseason and claiming a Military Bowl title in only his freshman campaign. If he stays healthy and continues progressing the way he has, he’ll do plenty more great things before leaving College Park. Some of those things are likely to come in the upcoming weeks and months of the 2011 season, even if the “dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate” talk over the last two weeks was a bit premature.

NOTES: Maryland returns to action Saturday, September 24 against Temple (2-1). Kickoff is set for 12:30pm (ACC Network-WNUV 54 in Baltimore) at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. Temple suffered a 14-10 setback to Penn State Saturday in Philadelphia…..Edsall declined comment on reports that Pittsburgh and Syracuse have applied to join the ACC in his postgame press conference……Edsall ended his press conference by making the defiant statement “I guarantee you everyday you’re gonna get the best effort out of this program. ‘Cause that’s what we should be doing and that’s what the people who support this program deserve, and that’s what we’ll get done.” He then abruptly walked off……Hear from Edsall, O’Brien and Tate in the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault here at WNST.net now

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Just like last year’s draft could have been dubbed the “Tim Tebow Invitational”, the 2011 draft has similar buzz regarding Cam Newton. There is absolutely without a doubt, no question about it, that Cam Newton is an extraordinary athlete and a truly unique college football player, but his skills haven’t translated well into the NFL game in recent history.

It is no secret that Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks have struggled to be successful at the next level, and I have a feeling that Newton will have those same struggles. When you look at the history of the NFL, a quarterback with his skill-set has yet to win a Super Bowl championship. Yes, I do think that he can bring immediate excitement and playmaking ability to a team, but in the long run, he will have to develop his pocket presence and look to make plays with his arm rather than his legs. You can look at Vince Young as a recent example with the Tennessee Titans drafting him with the third overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. At that time, general manager Floyd Reese was quoted: ““Last night at 11:35, I was on my knees praying … he will rewrite the position. This guy physically is such a combination of arms and legs”. Well, Young hardly rewrote the quarterback position, and in fact, just 5 years later, he most likely won’t even be on the Titans roster.

In all fairness to Cam Newton, he has better throwing action than both Young and Tim Tebow and he is much more NFL ready than both prospects were in their respective draft years. As I mentioned when analyzing Blaine Gabbert, the college spread offense makes it very difficult to estimate how ones games with translate into the NFL, and with Newton it is even more difficult. He has only 292 passing attempts on his resume, and as one quarterback coach recently told me, only about 10% of throws in a spread offense are comparable to NFL style routes. That means that we are asking a club to play this young man almost 50 million dollars based off game analysis of just 30 throws.

Finally, as has been discussed over and over, Newton’s off the field problems are a major red flag to me. With football being the ultimate team sport, having a quarterback with a diva mentality, makes its very difficult for team cohesion. He obviously proved he can win at Auburn, but the NFL is very different, full of former college superstars. With his “icon and entertainer” comments, and his pre-draft media only workout, he will need to check his ego at the locker room door.